Report: Clippers have ‘better-than-not chance’ to land Kawhi Leonard

Kawhi Leonard, by all appearances, seems to be acclimating well to a new situation and team following his offseason trade to the Toronto Raptors. But it would appear one NBA team is covertly in the preliminary stages of making a run at the superstar come free agency next summer.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski mentioned this week on his podcast “The Woj Pod” that the Los Angeles Clippers are putting things in place to prepare themselves to lure Leonard west ahead of the 2019-20 NBA season.

“What the Clippers are doing right now is very below the radar,” Wojnarowski said, via Bleacher Report. “What they’ve done to put themselves in position. They didn’t gut themselves, and they’re not tanking. They’re putting a competitive team on the floor.

“I think, right now, with Kawhi Leonard, they have a better-than-not chance of getting him. We know things will change. He could love Toronto.”

It has been long believed that Leonard is pining to play in his hometown, whether that be with the Lakers or Clippers. However, recent reports have suggested that the Lakers are a less appealing option for Leonard, surprisingly due to the presence of LeBron James.

Leonard is said to be growing fonder of Toronto despite some purported misgivings about joining the Raptors after the San Antonio Spurs shipped him north. Still, Leonard is not about to tip his hand either way when it comes to his uncertain future following this season.